A main ingredient in most beers is malted barley, though the malting process can be applied to many other cereal grains. Malting is a process in which grains are allowed to germinate and then quickly dried in a kiln before the plant has a chance to fully develop. The malting process develops enzymes that are required to modify complex starches in the grain into simple fermentable sugars during a later step in the brewing process called mashing. Dark malts are roasted to provide additional flavor and color. Malts are characterized by their type, color, base grain and potential extract (or yield). Malt color is typically measured on the Lovibond or SRM scale.